School: Koilmore (roll number 14115)

Location:
Cuilmore, Co. Mayo
Teacher:
Séamus Ó Murchadha
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0099, Page 157

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0099, Page 157

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  3. XML “Marriage Customs”

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  1. There was an old custom in Ireland of riding horses to a church when a marriage was to take place. The bride's father would ride a horse to the church, accompanied by the bride. When the wedding would be over, two men would be appointed to gallop on two horses, to see which would be the first to reach the bride's new home.
    One jockey would gallop his horse in favour of the bride and the other in favour of the bride-groom. If the bride's horse reached the house first, she would have all the luck in her new home. But if the bride-groom's horse won, he would have all the luck.
    There was another old custom of "Cluibairtacht" after weddings would take place. The bride would come to her new home on the evening after the wedding, and on that night the boys and young men of that district would gather together at the wedding house, and knock at the doors and kick them. The would conceal their faces with old cloths so that the people of the house would not know them. They would demand drink off the newly married couple. If they refused to give them drink, they might burn a cock of hay on the man before they would leave.
    When a girl would get married into a new home, she would not be supposed to return to her old home for a month. If she did, something horrible would happen to that house, in future.
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. activities
      1. social activities (~7)
        1. rites of passage (~573)
          1. marriage (~4,283)
    Language
    English
    Informant
    Mrs D. Donnelly
    Gender
    Female
    Age
    48
    Address
    Ballinagran, Co. Mayo